FREDERICK, Md. (AP) — A Frederick man has been sentenced to 15 months in jail for soliciting a 16-year-old girl.

George Robert Staton pleaded guilty in Frederick County Circuit Court on Tuesday to three counts of sexually soliciting a minor. The 45-year-old was arrested in March after the teen’s employer complained to police that he was harassing her.

Prosecutors say the sexual solicitation began over the Internet when the girl was 15 and that Staton began harassing her after she decided to stop communicating with him.

Staton said in emails to the girl that he knew his actions were illegal and that he didn’t want to go to jail.

The Frederick News-Post reports (http://bit.ly/1tCLC0o ) that Staton apologized in court during the hearing but didn’t say anything else.

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Information from: The Frederick (Md.) News-Post, http://www.fredericknewspost.com

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